Older temps prove popular

Employers that recruit temporary staff are well prepared for new laws outlawing age discrimination, according to the results of a new poll.

The findings contradict a whole raft of other studies of UK companies which largely suggest that many employers could fall foul of the age discrimination regulations due to come into force on 1 October.

It seems bosses are less concerned about age when looking to recruit temporary workers, with just 15% even thinking about the age of prospective employees.

The poll also challenged the traditional perception that older workers were less attractive to employers, with 62% of those polled actually expressing a preference for more experienced candidates.

It also suggests that skills shortages and a lack of qualified staff, particularly in the financial sector, are leading to a niche market for older, more experienced workers in the temporary market.

Shelly Casley, a director at recruitment consultancy Poolia Parker Bridge, which carried out the research, said accountancy staff shortages and the imminent launch of the new age laws were encouraging more older workers to start temping.

“We’re seeing more and more mature professionals turning to temping or returning to the workplace after formal retirement. The idea of the local workplace being dominated by the young is simply no longer true,” she said.